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Efforts to improve diversity “unconvincing”

Think tank NPC’s publication ‘Walking the Talk: Putting Workplace Equality, Diversity and Inclusion into Practice’, a collection of essays and podcasts, has declared charities’ efforts to increase diversity as “unconvincing and ineffective”.

The publication brings together contributors from charities, funders and the public and private sectors to give their perspective on the sector’s attempts to improve diversity. These contributors "are frustrated by what they see as piecemeal efforts at inclusion and a reluctance to give away power or pay for lived experience", according to a statement announcing the publication’s release.

The statement said that some of the contributors had "become disenchanted with diversity programmes they feel are merely window-dressing and do not address the structural inequalities that exist in society—and are being replicated at scale in the charity sector". The collection also contains practical advice on how the sector can do better.

Nathan Yeowell, head of policy at NPC, said in a statement: "What we have heard through this work is that, in a wide variety of ways, people feel they are not listened to. They feel excluded, undervalued and tokenised. We wanted to share these perspectives, as well as practical advice aimed at overcoming and remedying the problems at their heart, because we believe that understanding both equally is important for positive change."

"We hope that by providing a resource for people who need practical help, and an outlet for those with criticisms and frustrations with the sector, we have added something valuable," Nathan said. "If we can start having these sometimes difficult conversations, we can work towards a shared understanding of what needs to be done and an agenda for change."